In addition to releasing the first Windows 11 feature update called the 2022 Update, Microsoft released some statistics about the Microsoft Store today and announced the launch of the Microsoft Store Ads pilot program.

Microsoft says the past 12 months have been very productive and record-breaking for its digital store. More than 900 million customers use Microsoft Store to download apps, games and other content on Windows 10 and 11. In addition to customer growth, Microsoft reported a 122% year-over-year increase in developer submissions, which are titles joining the Microsoft Store. The latter is the result of significantly revised policies and guidelines that give more freedom to developers.

To keep the momentum going and keep the developers happy, Microsoft launched the Microsoft Store Ads pilot program today. Announced at the Build conference earlier this year, Microsoft Store Ads allows developers to promote their projects to Microsoft Store customers using Microsoft Advertising on Windows 10 and 11 devices.

Developers can now sign up to promote their apps with banners on the Microsoft Store. These banners will appear in search results, help customers find relevant products, and increase downloads and sales for developers. The new program is in its infancy as Microsoft tries to find a balance between developer success and customer experience, so expect future changes and improvements.

Speaking of customer experience, Windows 11 and 10 users will soon receive various quality improvements for the Microsoft Store. In October, Microsoft will release a redesigned search with screenshot previews and new tools to improve app transfers when setting up a new Windows 11 PC. Finally, Windows 11 users in 31 countries will receive support for Android apps and games in the coming weeks. Source